1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to eating utensils that can be snapped together for easy handling.
2. Description of the Related Art
Barbecues, picnics, cocktail parties, birthday parties and other social gatherings often require guests to obtain food from a buffet table, a barbecue grill or from a server. The guest typically picks up or is handed a plate, eating utensils and a napkin. The guest then places food on the plate while holding the eating utensils and napkin. The guest then carries the food, the eating utensils and the napkin to a seat. The seat may be at a table, but many guests must balance and manipulate the plate of food, the eating utensils and the napkin on their lap. This entire process is complicated when the guest also must obtain, carry and manipulate a beverage. This cumbersome procedure typically requires the guest to obtain, hold and manipulate a knife, a fork and a spoon. All of these items are long and slender and easily can fall from the grip of the guest while the guest is trying to balance and manipulate a plate full of food, a napkin and a beverage.
The host of such a social gathering also is faced with the task of presenting plates, glassware and eating utensils in a convenient and attractive manner. Some hosts choose to tie the eating utensils together with a ribbon. Others bundle the eating utensils together with the napkin. Both of these processes take time for the host who is undoubtedly trying the prepare food and make other arrangements for a social gathering. Additionally, a ribbon tied around eating utensils may be too loose, and therefore ineffective, or may be too tight and difficult to untie.
Plastic eating utensils offer certain efficiencies for the host and provide a light weight that can facilitate handling of the utensils at a buffet table, grill or other food serving line. However, most plastic utensils are aesthetically unattractive and most plastic eating utensils do not overcome problems associated with the handling of many items while obtaining food at a social gathering.
Attempts have been made to provide eating utensils that can be assembled and disassembled. Such assemblies are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,403, U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,650, U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,154 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,611. These assemblies, however, typically are aesthetically unattractive and difficult to assemble or disassemble.
Accordingly, an object of the subject invention is to provide an eating utensil assembly that is aesthetically attractive.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide an eating utensil assembly that can be assembled and disassembled with ease.
A further object of the subject invention is to provide an eating utensil assembly that can be handled with ease, both in the assembled condition and the disassembled condition.